


Memory Of You

by Leni



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-17 06:38:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16969578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: The original prompt was: Rumpelstiltskin drinks a forgetting potion after sending Belle away the first time.This is my take of what might have happened afterwards.'hurt'- Belle & Rumpelstiltskin





	1. Flashfic collection

 

_@mariequitecontrarie asked 99 (back)_

> Belle pushed the door to the main hall open, a little disappointed to find it empty. She left the basket next to the lonely spinning wheel, and marched upstairs to the second most likely location to find Rumpelstiltskin.
> 
> He was indeed tinkering with an array of bottles at his work table.
> 
> “Hello, Rumple.” Belle said, grinning from ear to ear as she rushed toward him. “I’m back!”
> 
> His surprise wasn’t unexpected.
> 
> To be frozen into place, however, drug an alarmed squeak out of her.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin stared at her, eyes coldly curious. “Now, now, dearie… Shouldn’t proper introductions come first?”

 

_[@thelonelyjournal-keeper](https://tmblr.co/mBm6mbZDXJmVRKOYHwzutUQ) asked 77 (numberless)_

> His first instinct was to neutralize the intruder, followed by a quick check of his wards in case the squeaking brunette was a distraction.
> 
> Numberless attacks had been made over the decades. and the knights and assassins responsible had been duly disposed of. However, there was always someone stupid enough to believe they could vanquish the Dark One.
> 
> But never a young girl armed with nothing but a smile.
> 
> Intrigued, he peered at her. “Who  _are_ you?”
> 
>  

_[@babybomberbo](https://tmblr.co/mA0L350LR731FG7g4XnA7Cw) asked 20 (teeth)_

> The girl insisted to have returned solely to keep him company. She must be lying through her teeth. …Wasn’t she? 

 

_[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 12 (loud)_

> “I am  _not_ leaving. Do you hear me?”
> 
> “Loud and clear, dearie!”

 

_[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 13 (record)_

> “For the record-” Belle strode unflinchingly into the cell “-we’ve done this before.” 

 

_[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 99 (regret)_

> Alone in her cell, her last sight of Rumpelstiltskin a sneering laugh as he locked her in, Belle reflected on her circumstances.
> 
> Within a day she’d come from being Rumpelstiltskin’s maid (and maybe his friend), to a free woman returning home, and now a prisoner in the Dark Castle.
> 
> If that carriage hadn’t crossed her way… If the traveling lady hadn’t been bored enough to amuse herself with a chat with a stranger… If their conversation had taken any other path…
> 
> But Belle couldn’t regret the advice that had brought her back, only that she hadn’t arrived soon enough. 

 

[@nropay](https://tmblr.co/m7im3MwVlZ2oy7HYNTs4qSA) asked 74 (silent)

> Rumpelstiltskin returned to check on the girl sooner than he’d originally planned. In his experience, prisoners were the loud sort, either begging for freedom or protesting their innocence.
> 
> The silent dungeon was an anomaly.
> 
> Fuming at the thought that her mysterious master might have filched the girl away, Rumpelstiltskin popped into the cell - and found her sleeping.
> 
> He stared.
> 
> The possibility that anyone could rest while at his mercy had never occurred to him.

 

_[@sygmarie4-w](https://tmblr.co/mLLu6PcwVYkWq3uNAcoTugg) asked 82 (load)_

> “Nice tale, very nice. But aren’t you missing the glaring hole in your story?” Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head in a parody of curiosity. “Why, dearie!  _Why_ would I need a maid at all?”
> 
> To his surprise the girl smiled at that. “I’ve often wondered the same. It’s not like I found the castle in shambles, so obviously magic always dealt with the dusting, the meals, and the loads of laundry.” She looked him in the eye. “I still believe you were lonely.”

 

_[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 96 (learned)_

> “Learned young ladies don’t enjoy working as maids so much they run back to their jobs. So.. why are you here, Belle of Avonlea?”
> 
> He obviously dismissed her name as another deception. Just like he had dismissed everything Belle had told him. Having been ridiculed for mentioning that they had almost become friends - that he’d been fond enough of her that he’d set her free - Belle had no illusion that confessing her love, that she had come back  _for him_ , would get a better reception.
> 
> Still, she wouldn’t lie.
> 
> “I decided I belong here.”

 

_[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 84 (applaud)_

> “I applaud your commitment to your tale, dearie,” Rumpelstiltskin told her, playing with the stale piece of bread that was her breakfast leftovers. “A lesser storyteller would be doomed to plying their trade without a tongue - but you! Such a soulful recount. So vivid! No, no. Talent like that cannot be squandered.” Breadcrumbs flew everywhere as a burst of magic teared through the larger piece. Rumpelstiltskin kept smiling cordially, but his eyes were hard. “Now, why don’t you tell me who sent you?”

 

_[@betweenpaperpages](https://tmblr.co/mX9TS5eCiYBWIJyO08X_llw) asked 42 (look)_

> Belle groaned as she remembered the look on Rumpelstiltskin’s face before he had spirited himself away. Not only did he refuse to believe a word she said, but he’d convinced himself that she was a threat.
> 
> At least it couldn’t get worse.

 

_[@gypsy-belle](https://tmblr.co/m3roP60TKhCcYgeynfsnOFg) asked 79 (jolly)_

> “Now you’ll tell me you were happy.” He sneered at the blatant impossibility. “A maid dancing through the Dark One’s hallways, breaking into some jolly tune or another out of sheer delight. Only a fool would believe that!”
> 
> Belle never wavered. “I don’t enjoy dancing by myself,” she said matter-of-factly, “you keep complaining that I’m tone-deaf though you’re not much better, and….” Her shoulders gave a little shrug. “I haven’t been unhappy here, Rumple. Not for a long time.”

@of-princes-and-savages asked 73 (object)

> Rumpelstiltskin had planned to object to all her requests, but the girl’s misery gave him pause. She had taken her banishment to the dungeons in stride, and hadn’t complained over the tasteless meals. The news of the nonexistent library, however, made her eyes shine with unreleased tears.
> 
> “I didn’t say you couldn’t read at all,” he groused, summoning the book in her basket. “Word of advice, though? Never expect handsome heroes outside fiction.

 

[@annagingil](https://tmblr.co/mrMVm7unWMA76-WwAjwuyvA) asked 88 (quill)

> “You still don’t believe me, do you?”
> 
> His distrustful glance was answer enough. Words were soft clay to him, easily malleable in obscuring the truth. Rumpelstiltskin relied on their meaning only when they were written down and signed.
> 
> … Well, then.
> 
> “Fine. Bring me paper and a quill, and I’ll write down everything I know about you. I know you still won’t believe me,” Belle said when he gave an amused snort, tickled by her attempt at trickery, “but at least you’ll see that I never contradict myself.”

 

[@gypsy-belle](https://tmblr.co/m3roP60TKhCcYgeynfsnOFg) asked 60 (toothbrush)

> “You’re the most put-together prisoner I’ve seen.”
> 
> Having seen his treatment of actual prisoners, Belle considered herself a reluctantly received guest. “I’ll take that as a compliment, since I can only handle the basics.” A basin of clear water served to wash her face, brush her teeth, and keep her hair clean. “Any chance I can get my bathtub back?”

 

[@still-searching47](https://tmblr.co/m-pS47U8jEzCZYRuq4U8m6w) asked 84 (zoom)

> Intrigued despite himself, Rumpelstiltskin allowed the pull of curiosity to drag him down to the dungeons again and again.
> 
> Every conversation with the strange girl convinced him of her foolishness in pretending to have befriended the Dark One, but sometimes… Sometimes he wavered.
> 
> Affection could be contrived, and smiles couldn’t be trusted, but often her attention would zoom in on the oddest details - "Oh, Rumple. You haven’t eaten at all today, have you?” - and Rumpelstiltskin found himself wanting to believe that someone could care.

 

@annagingil asked 100 (stomach)

> “What’s so interesting about this book that you’re reading it for the third time?” His fingernails tapped the leather cover, voice dripping with distaste. “I could barely stomach paging through it!”
> 
> Belle considered defending her favorite story, but experience said that Rumpelstiltskin would never share her love of it. Having once heard his arguments to dismiss the wholesome protagonist as a pipe dream, Belle decided to deflect. “Well, it’s not as if I have other books to choose from.”
> 
> “You like reading that much?”
> 
> Her smile was bittersweet, but at least he was rediscovering her. “Yes, Rumple. I really do.”

 

@sygmarie4-w asked 22 (detect)

> The girl’s story couldn’t be the truth, but he had yet to detect any deceit. Was she mad, then, or just spelled?

 

[@still-searching47](https://tmblr.co/m-pS47U8jEzCZYRuq4U8m6w) asked 47. (accurate)

> Rumpelstiltskin surveyed the broken vials and wasted ingredients. The potion had required the most accurate measure of pulverized dragon scales, but his mind had slipped.
> 
> This couldn’t be allowed to continue. Something must be done about that girl before he destroyed his castle for thinking of her!

 

@gypsy-belle asked 97 (crabby)

> Her small cell wasn’t an impressive setting for Rumpelstiltskin’s pacing, but what was a show of temper without an audience to be unsettled by it?
> 
> Too bad that Rumpelstiltskin forgot that, far from fearing the angry beast he meant to project, Belle was reminded of a crabby tomcat just chased away from clean pillows.
> 
> “What’s wrong?”
> 
> “Nothing the blood of nosy girls can’t solve.”
> 
> Even their ‘brief’ acquaintanceship would interpret her look as  _don’t be silly_. “Can I help?” He snorted, but Belle had won this battle already. “Will you lose something if you let me try?”
> 
>  

@annagingil asked 60 (certain)

> “It’s been five days.” Belle leaned back tiredly against the stone wall. She had only read, walked around her cell, and conversed with Rumpelstiltskin on his frequent visits.  Yet, she was exhausted. “If you were still suspicious of my intentions, you’d already have made certain I regretted having come to you. So what are you planning to do with me?”
> 
>  

[@mariequitecontrarie](https://tmblr.co/m7I0DCqYMcLGzepJ2i2-AiA) asked 17 (pinch)

> “Just a pinch of this in your tea, and you’ll forget all this trouble.”
> 
> Belle glared. “No.”

 

[@still-searching47](https://tmblr.co/m-pS47U8jEzCZYRuq4U8m6w) asked 47. (fierce)

> His laughter at the girl’s claim of friendship was met with the fiercest little growl of annoyance. Rumpelstiltskin opened his mouth to send her away, but she broke into his personal space, grabbing his arm without hesitation, and he wondered whether she told the truth after all.

 

[@ifeltyourheartbeat](https://tmblr.co/mlUHElfZWx1GxmxoXx9Kdpg) asked 32 (work)

> Even without his memories, Rumpelstiltskin had listed her former duties accurately. His dire threat amounted to returning them to her.
> 
> Belle smiled, amused. “A little work won’t scare me away, you know?”
> 
>  

[@still-searching47](https://tmblr.co/m-pS47U8jEzCZYRuq4U8m6w) asked 47 (worthless)

> “There was… a teacup here,” Belle said, aware that Rumpelstiltskin grew suspicious the more she lingered by the cabinet. “A chipped one?”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin snorted. “I’ll never believe you if your imagination keeps running unchecked. I have rooms of treasure, why would I keep such a worthless thing?”

 

[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 63 (society)

> “Novel experience or not,” Rumpelstiltskin said, grinning from ear to ear, “I must admit it feels nice to have a society lady pour my tea.”
> 
> Belle’s smile didn’t dim even when Rumpelstiltskin made no comment over the unblemished cup. “I’m glad you think so,” she told him, “even if you only say that now that I’m not spilling any all over the place.”
> 
>  

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 76 (ethereal)

> Her old rooms had been comfortable, but the furniture and decoration were kept simple as it fit a favored servant.
> 
> Now Belle stared in wonder.
> 
> The bookshelf was enough to endear her to her new accommodations, but the wide windows had stolen her breath. They were covered in an ethereal confection of lace, heavier curtains drawn back to allow the sunlight in.
> 
> It was a delightful contrast to the dungeons.
> 
> “Well. You like it?”
> 
> “Oh yes!”

 

[@jackabelle73](https://tmblr.co/m3roP60TKhCcYgeynfsnOFg) asked 93 (eatable)

> For someone whose first attempts at cookery had been labeled as ‘barely eatable’, it made Belle smile to watch Rumpelstiltskin smack his lips with relish.
> 
> “Not bad, not bad at all,” he said, smiling openly. “It’s getting ever harder to believe you. Why’d I ever miss on a hot meal, hmm?”
> 
> Instead of letting his disbelief affect her mood, Belle preened at his implied praise. “You’re saying I’m a good cook.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin smirked at her bald request for a compliment. “Weeeeell,” he drawled, “I might ask for seconds, and that’s all I’m saying.”

 

[@bookwormchocaholic](https://tmblr.co/mI5g__XUqwl4FuxEbsknChA) asked 24 (baby)

> “I admit, I’m growing fond of the idea of naming a smart grown-ups as the price for a deal rather than a squealing baby!” 

 

32 (rings)

> “A meager dozen of books and you appear late for breakfast, with dark rings under your eyes.” Rumpelstiltskin clicked his tongue disapprovingly. “You get your famed library, and you’ll never sleep again!”

 

[@ishtarelisheba](https://tmblr.co/m8VqyVROdkolwbfecOtY_-g) asked 63 (broken)

> “Those are nailed down, you know.”
> 
> Belle grinned and showed him the hammer.
> 
> “Hmph. I didn’t bring you up here so you could fall off a ladder and get your leg broken. Come down, girl!”
> 
> “But the curtains….”
> 
> A simple wave of his hand, and sunlight poured into the room.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin’s nose twitched in distaste, but he shrugged. “I’ll get used to it.”

 

[@dragonessdefiledarts](https://tmblr.co/mnwwMO_T6YvU6sDp0HdtTCg) asked 34 (complex)

> His world should be narrowed to the complex web of favors and circumstances that needed only a subtle push to work to his advantage.
> 
> Instead his concentration was diverted by a blue-eyed girl.
> 
> Madness!

 

[@white-throated-packrat](https://tmblr.co/mzOFOXfidyBwWaRogcngvUw) asked 77 (knot)

> Belle had experience in leading a man out of Rumpelstiltskin’s dungeon, but where she had hurried Hood’s bloodied form through the darkened hallways, now she hesitated before she cut through the knot around Gaston’s wrists. “Swear it, Gaston,” she repeated. “You mustn’t come back.”
> 
> His expression didn’t waver, jaw clenched in stubbornness.
> 
> He hadn’t said much since he’d returned to human form, but his glare declared he wasn’t finished with Rumpelstiltskin.
> 
> “Fine,” Belle muttered. “Be an idiot.”

 

[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 85 (abusive)

> “I wish Gaston the best.” Belle chuckled. “Any other bride will do.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin snorted. “Wishing that abusive oaf on someone else? That’s cruel.”
> 
> Belle shook her head. There was no love between her and Gaston, but she was familiar with his code of honor. “Impossible. He’d never raise a hand against a woman!”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin glanced at her, amusement melting into a pensive stare. “Never have you been as convincing of your innocence,” he said, “as right now when you equal abuse to a beaten wife.”

 

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 76 (shop)

> “You’re leaving now?”
> 
> “I  _am_ a busy man, Belle. Besides, I figured you’d enjoy a day alone. Browse the shops, spend my gold. Come back after you’re done.” He handed her a sizable bag, heavy with coins. His small smile was an exact replica of the one with which he’d sent her away 'to fetch straw’ three months before. “Take whatever time you need.”
> 
> Comprehension dawned. “You don’t expect to ever see me again, do you?”

 

Prompt: sloppy

> Rumpelstiltskin wasn’t worried about the sword’s edge at his throat. He actually felt a stirring of respect for the warrior who’d bested the Dark One. Magic would have flattened the woman, and he wouldn’t have felt any guilt at cheating. He was, however, curious as to how Belle would handle the situation.
> 
> “He’s not the creature you’re seeking!” she protested.
> 
> The woman inspected him, pausing tellingly at his eyes. A twist of her mouth betrayed she felt unsettled by the inhuman features, but her sword didn’t waver. “He looks it.”
> 
> Belle gasped in outrage. “You can’t judge by appearances only!”
> 
> The warrior was the stubborn type. “He must be its master, then.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin giggled.
> 
> The accusation didn’t faze him. If pressed, he could send something worse than a fire-breathing dog to the area. What amused him was the woman’s mistake in ignoring Belle’s mounting anger.
> 
> The girl might frown on morally ambiguous deals, but she loathed sloppy research. Assumptions pulled from thin air put that gimlet look in her eye that even the Dark One knew better than to invite.
> 
> “Now you’ve done it,” he sniggered, smirking at the woman.
> 
> She was instantly on her guard, but she expected that attack from the wrong direction. That it came as a sharp poke on her arm was definitely a shock.
> 
> “Stop this nonsense!” Belle ordered.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin laughed a little harder this time.
> 
> His self-appointed maid, who called it a great victory to wrangle an enchanted broom into sweeping the rooms that actually needed it, pitted against a seasoned swordswoman.
> 
> The outcome should be laughably predictable.
> 
> However, Belle was the woman who had wandered into the Dark Castle and demanded to stay there.
> 
> She might not be familiar with weapons, and he suspected she disapproved of bloodletting, but Rumpelstiltskin still knew how he’d lay his bets.

 

[@bookwormchocaholic](https://tmblr.co/mI5g__XUqwl4FuxEbsknChA) asked 45 x2 (grateful)

> One moment there was a young, handsome man kissing Belle’s hand, grateful for her part in returning him to human form; the next, a wisp of maroon-toned smoke stood in his place - and vanished.
> 
> “Rumple!” Belle cried, whirling on him.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin laughed, though at least he gave her the courtesy of a response while he ignored Mulan’s attack. “His Highness seemed in a hurry to find his true love,” he said with affected feeling, complete with a hand clutched over his heart. “Shouldn’t I have sent him straight to her?”

 

[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 26 (bath)

> “Mulan got hurt helping me-”
> 
> “Debatable,” Rumpelstiltskin muttered, still irritated.
> 
> “-so the least I can do is offer her a meal, a bath and a bed.”

 

[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 69 (own)

> “Oh. You have your own rooms.” For the first time, Mulan looked sheepish. “I heard…”
> 
> Belle rolled her eyes. Nobody had made a fuss about her living in the Dark Castle as Rumpelstiltskin’s maid; but now that there was no memory of their deal, people were quick to spread rumors.
> 
> “It’s not like that,” she muttered, annoyed at the gossip - and even more that it was ungrounded. 
> 
> _Not yet._

 

[@bookwormchocaholic](https://tmblr.co/mI5g__XUqwl4FuxEbsknChA) asked 31 (drunk)

> Rumpelstiltskin peered down at her, expression uncertain between a perplexed frown and a roar of laughter. He settled for throwing Mulan an accusing glare. “Why is my— Why is Belle drunk?”
> 
>  

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 99 (melted)

> Having her relationship with Rumpelstiltskin reset had the occasional advantage.
> 
> This time her talent for languages hadn’t any link with the Black Fairy, and so it hadn’t been relegated along with the memories of that awful night. Instead Belle had been quizzed until Rumpelstiltskin was satisfied with her proficiency, and then installed in a corner of his laboratory. Her pile of scrolls never decreased, and Rumpelstiltskin snickered when she mentioned it.
> 
> “Grown bored already, dearie?”
> 
> There were texts rarely seen by human eyes. Hours that melted together in close company with Rumpelstiltskin.
> 
> Belle shook her head. “Not at all!”

 

[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 55 (coil)

> Having Belle work in his laboratory was a mistake.
> 
> She liked to play with her hair, allowing the strands to coil around her finger just to release them to write a new sentence.
> 
> “I won’t translate this faster because you’re hovering, Rumple.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin huffed, though he turned away. “Hovering? Bah! Whatever gave you such idea?”

 

[@bookwormchocaholic](https://tmblr.co/mI5g__XUqwl4FuxEbsknChA) asked 45 (grateful)

> Queen Regina didn’t bother with the friendliness she’d faked before. “I suppose I should be grateful you’re a clever one,” she said, a twist to her mouth that suggested she wouldn’t be shocked to be proved wrong. “Just keep silent, girl. It’s for the best.” 
> 
>  

@thelonelyjournal-keeper asked 88 (pickle)

> Belle wasn’t surprised at the order to keep to her rooms for the afternoon. Rumpelstiltskin had always shepherded her away from the public rooms when trouble was ahead. “Unsavory guests coming up?”
> 
> “Not at all! Charming fellow, actually. But he’s run into quite the pickle and only the Dark One can help him.” He grinned, eyes alight with mischief as his fingertips tapped together excitedly. “He’s not fond of my deals though, so he’ll kick up a fuss before he sees reason. Best keep his tantrum private, eh?”
> 
>  

@joylee56 asked 92 (fluttering)

> Belle knew there had been an important accomplishment when Rumpelstiltskin waved her into his laboratory, bouncing on his feet with excitement, instead of grousing at the interruption.
> 
> “Tell me, Belle. What do you know of true love?”
> 
> Belle faltered, dreading that he’d learned about the queen’s advice. “I’ve read about it,” she said cautiously.
> 
> “In those perfect heroic tales? Bah! Fluttering eyelashes and pointless grand speeches.” He presented her with a small bottle, a smug expression on his face as she gasped at the contents. “This, my dear, is the real deal.” 

 

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 64 (knowing)

> Knowing that her company wouldn’t be appreciated today, Belle had claimed it was an excellent day to start a kitchen garden.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin, obviously glad to be left alone, gave permission without protest.
> 
> He’d forgotten that she was aware of the significance of the date, and Belle wasn’t telling. With such fragile trust between them, it was best that Rumpelstiltskin grieved his son in private. 

 

@joylee56 asked 93 (weight)

> The girl was usually an unobstructive presence in the background, but today her curiosity was a weight between his shoulders. “Fine,” he allowed grouchily. “Ask your questions before you choke on them.”
> 
> Belle didn’t waste time in gratefulness. “Is it true their desert is as big as the Enchanted Forest?”
> 
> “Bigger,” he responded. “Whole caravans have been lost - and more since their main landmark disappeared.”
> 
> “Will you find Agrabah?”
> 
> “Gods, no!” He laughed. “But I’m in the habit of investigating odd portals. One that swallows a whole city qualifies, don’t you think?”

 

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 82(x2) (outstanding) 

> “Do you believe me now, Rumple, even a little?”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin lifted his eyes from the bundle of dried plants he was sorting into twigs and leaves fit for his potions and those that would do for the kitchen. “A little?” He mimicked. “I wasn’t aware you could believe in anything 'a little’.”
> 
> Since he was being facetious rather than denying the possibility, Belle smiled good-naturedly. “You know what I mean.”
> 
> “Not because you expressed yourself correctly, dearie.” Still chuckling, he abandoned his work and ambled toward her. “Now, what were my options again? Ah, yes. That I’m harboring either the most outstanding actress in the Enchanted Forest-”
> 
> “A liar, you mean,” Belle grumbled.
> 
> “-or a mind-wiped puppet shipped in by one of my maaaaaaany enemies. Hm.” He hovered over her “Tough choice, isn’t it?”
> 
> Belle craned her neck to look him in the eye. “I think you believe me,” she told him.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin shrugged. “Maaaaaaybe.” He pressed thumb against forefinger. “But only a little!”

 

[@beastlycheese](https://tmblr.co/m2b-MAGyeP27U0mG1htS-sw) asked 97 (pipe)

> Belle had known that Rumpelstiltskin favored smoking. While laundering his shirts, she had often caught the scent of tobacco on the fabric, and occasionally the main hall had born a trace of the sharp smell when she returned from gardening outside.
> 
> Now that she worked in his laboratory, Rumpelstiltskin had dismissed any attempt to follow convention and spare a lady from the masculine habit.
> 
> To her surprise, Belle didn’t mind.
> 
> There was an unexpected intimacy in it. She couldn’t remember Rumpelstiltskin looking as comfortable as when he sank into his chair, pipe in hand.
> 
> She liked it.

 

[@thedarkcheessmaster](https://tmblr.co/m0dKkbbChyzxySITNXDp0UQ) asked 47. (coat)

> Rumpelstiltskin was comfortable in shirtsleeves while he worked in his laboratory. His thick coats, made with exotic leathers and trimmed expensively, were meant to impress outsiders, not keep him warm.
> 
> Belle, meanwhile, shivered despite her heavy shawl.
> 
> Grumbling, he clicked his fingers.
> 
> And fire roared into life.

 

Prompt: grateful

> A chair appeared on the other side of Belle’s desk, and in the next instant Rumpelstiltskin was sitting on it, observing her. Familiar with his habit of disconcerting people just to tease them for their reaction, Belle kept her attention on her work.
> 
> It was also his habit not to stay ignored for long.
> 
> He coughed loudly, and Belle indulged him with a little sigh. “Yes?”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin raised an eyebrow. “You have a funny way to show respect to the Dark One, dearie.”
> 
> “I am doing as you asked, as quickly as you insisted it needed to be done.” Belle replied, putting down her feather and stoppering the ink to avoid another accident. Her expression spoke of her annoyance at the interruption. “You’re the one distracting me.”  
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin grinned. He was blamed for everything from colluding with the Evil Queen to the latest flood. Few bothered to check that he was actually guilty, and almost none dared to accuse him to his face.
> 
> Belle had yet to hesitate to call him out for any perceived wrongdoing. Seduction, Rumpelstiltskin remembered, had been the first item scratched from the list of possible reasons for her presence.
> 
> “You’ve been buried in that book since morning, and don’t think I haven’t noticed you’ve barely made  progress. I thought you’d welcome the break.”
> 
> “It’s an older version of elvish.” Belle pursed her lips into a determined line. “I like the challenge.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin stared at her, gauging her sincerity. Then he snickered. “I’m starting to believe that you budged your way into my castle just for the chance to check out the books.”
> 
> Belle gave a soft laugh, her hand careful as she closed the old leather cover. “They are all very interesting. I already knew you have great literary taste, Rumpelstiltskin, but the texts you need for your work aren’t the least dull in comparison.”
> 
> “Hm. I’ve never been accused of literary tastes,” he mused, provoking another tinkle of laughter. “Children and lost travelers, yes. Books, no, never.”
> 
> The arch on Belle’s eyebrows was almost chiding, and there was a hint of exasperation in her smile, but there it stayed, a placid curve on her lips. “You should make it public, then.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin tilted his head. “Is that another hint to build that dream library of yours?”
> 
> Belle’s eyes lit up, but immediately after she was frowning. To his surprise, her final answer was a shake of her head. “I do miss having an endless pick of new novels to take with me to bed, but I think I like this arrangement better.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin eyed her with skepticism. “A desk and a chair in a corner of my laboratory, better than that marvel you’re so fond of describing?”
> 
> “It’s a very comfy chair,” Belle replied, grinning. Then her eyes softened and she reached over. Her fingers grazed the skin of his wrist before he recognized her intent and hastily moved away. The briefest pause. Belle continued as if nothing had happened. “I am grateful for any chance to discover new books, but it used to get lonely, all by myself in that library.” She nodded toward his work space, perhaps all of twenty paces away. “Yes. I like this arrangement better.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin rolled his eyes. “I put you here so I can keep an eye on you!”
> 
> The girl shrugged. “Regardless,” she said, her smile undimmed. “I’m still grateful for the company.”

 

[@sygmarie4-w](https://tmblr.co/mLLu6PcwVYkWq3uNAcoTugg) asked 59 (wiry)

> Belle now understood who Rumpelstiltskin had been before the curse, but picturing him as that small, wiry man proved impossible. Even her fertile imagination stumbled at leaving out his magic-touched skin and odd eyes.
> 
> At last she gave up the attempt without a regret, reasoning that she’d fallen for the Rumpelstiltskin that was, not the man he had been.
> 
>  

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 82 (outstanding) 

> “I’ve read about a land that welcomes unwanted boys-”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin’s face darkened. “Careful, dearie. Monster I might be, but I loved my son.”
> 
> “Oh, I don’t mean your Baelfire is there. But there’s this entity that collects the boys, no matter their provenance. Isn’t it outstanding?” Her voice grew excited. “It must be called to loneliness, not to magic!”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin stared at her, speechless.
> 
> Belle reached for his hand. “I promise, Rumple. There’s a bridge to the world without magic in Neverland.”

 

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 55x2 (walk) 

> Belle closed the heavy book with a grunt of annoyance. “I’m taking a break,” she announced.
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin glanced up, brow arched in surprise. “From reading?”
> 
> Her answering look might as well have scoffed at the notion. “From reading the same books for the fifth time,” she corrected, “and finding no new clues.”
> 
> He’d warned her that looking for safe passage through Neverland was a fool’s mission, but he didn’t tease. “It’s all there is on that cursed island, dearie.”  His voice tried for nonchalance. “If you find nothing, then it’s hopeless indeed.”
> 
> “I’m not giving up,” Belle assured him. “But I  _am_ taking a walk to clear my head first.”

 

Prompt: writer

> “I don’t think these books will help, Rumple,” Belle said, a furrow between her brows that spoke of her skepticism.
> 
> In the last weeks Rumpelstiltskin had learned that where Belle adored fiction about impossible feats and even less likely heroes, she was a swift judge when a writer added any fancy to a history book.
> 
> “Hamelin is the last place Pan visited in the Enchanted Forest. There could be a clue in its history.”
> 
> Belle looked unsure. “It’s a collection of tall tales,” she complained. “Look. Here they insist there’s a way to control the Dark One. How can I trust anything else they say?”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin struggled between the ingrained need to keep his secret and the even more mandatory need to leave no stone unturned when it came to the recovery of his son. The Dark Curse still needed at least another year before Regina would be in the right state of mind to cast it. On the other hand, Belle’s idea could be enacted as soon as she proved it was viable - and as the days passed, that possibility seemed closer.
> 
> His dagger was safe, he reasoned at last. If Belle was a plant after all, fishing for the information that would finally allow her to return to her master, he would know for sure.
> 
> “Does it happen to mention how they would accomplish this?” he asked softly, aware that giving these news even that much attention proved their legitimacy.
> 
> Belle’s eyes widened as she also realized this. “What? No.” She closed her mouth with a snap and stared at him for a long moment. “They just say it can be done. That an old lord had found a way.”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin chuckled. “Oh, he didn’t get to grow that old.”
> 
> Belle inhaled sharply. “I… see.”
> 
> “No, dearie, you really don’t.” He gentled his features. The girl looked shocked, not a hint of delight to have finally unearthed a clue as to his weakness. “Shall we leave it there?”
> 
> A flash of disappointment passed through her eyes, her thirst of knowledge truncated, but she reined it in and nodded. “Information on Neverland first,” she agreed. Then she glanced at him hopefully. “You can tell me all about this once Baelfire is with us.”
> 
> It was Rumpelstiltskin’s turn to stare at her, though he was nodding in reaction at her easy smile before he put actual thought into it. He would have accepted her help on an alternate path to Bae even if he’d known for sure she was Cora in disguise. But the more time she let pass without betraying him, the more he was floored by the realization that her picturing of a future in the Dark Castle was honest. “Yes,” he said, his voice slow as he stomped the wonder out of it. “I might at that.”

 

[@the-time-lady-sage](https://tmblr.co/m9uMVANnPwnATpeusCHsJhA) asked 34 (warm)

> Rumpelstiltskin should have been annoyed at the interruption, but the girl had already showed him the platter of cookies, still warm from the oven.
> 
> “We can’t work all day,” she said, smiling. “Want one?”

 

[@of-princes-and-savages](https://tmblr.co/mHZZ724ZZ40Cjz3NhvKiORA) asked 55 (walk) 

> “A carriage bearing coffers of gold, running leisurely through Sherwood Forest.” Rumpelstiltskin scoffed. “Might as well walk into a thieves’ den!”
> 
> “We only need one thief.”
> 
> “Robin Hood.” He sniffed. “Unreliable fellow. You actually think he’ll accept?”
> 
> Belle nodded. “I helped him reunite with his family. You tell me if that’s not worth a favor.”
> 
>  

[@betweenpaperpages](https://tmblr.co/mX9TS5eCiYBWIJyO08X_llw) asked 76. (writer)

> “Let’s say I set you free, for argument’s sake…” Rumpelstiltskin loomed closer, hooking a finger under her chin to tilt it up. “Such a clever girl. With that stubborn belief in goodness and selflessness. You’re meant to play the hero, dearie; a real one. So  _why_ would you come back?”
> 
> “Because I’m the writer of my own story,” Belle told him, “and no one - not even you - will tell me what role to play.”

 

[@joylee56](https://tmblr.co/mnOlfw4I5aPRbImBEO5beSA) asked 37 (crowded)

> The giant’s presence made the spacious main hall look crowded even with only two other people in it.
> 
> “So, we have a deal,” Rumpelstiltskin said, his voice a tense hiss.
> 
> Anton clutched the bean, but nodded anyway.

 

62 (rain)

> “At least the rain is the same,” Belle said, pulling the curtain to peek outside. The scenery of the street below fascinated her, even without people, with its smooth pavement and the bright lights that weren’t doused by the downpour.
> 
> She’d read on electricity, but she still asked, “There really is no magic here?”
> 
> Rumpelstiltskin played with another vial. “Not until now.”


	2. Flashfic collection

Starting life in the Dark Castle from scratch had revoked the little privileges she’d amassed over the last year. However, Rumpelstiltskin’s preoccupation with keeping an eye on her meant that her favorite evening pastime - watching him work at his wheel and occasionally drawing him into conversation - had been restored before Belle had even thought to suggest it.

A month after Rumpelstiltskin had erased every trace of their deal, Belle had stopped wishing in vain for at least his memories to return. More than resignation, hope prompted her to move on.

She had mattered enough to Rumpelstiltskin, that he’d chosen to forget her when he’d believed they wouldn’t see each other again. In her more optimistic moments, Belle thought: why couldn’t she become that important again? And if doubt managed to break through, she reminded herself that every good story had an impossible hurdle to overcome.

She’d never heard of a case quite like hers, but there was one that came close enough….

“Have you heard the tale of the lost princess?” she asked Rumpelstiltskin one night, shortly after they’d moved from the dinner table to their usual spots at the wheel and the hearth.

Rumpelstiltskin barely paused. “Plenty of princesses get lost,” he told her cheerfully. “I know of a queen who’s been looking for such a girl, and another who’s stuck in her tower, and at least one other who got shoved too far into her dreams. You’ll have to be more specific, dearie.”

“I mean the Princess Anastasia.”

It was a popular story. Her mother had told it to her as a little girl, leading her to understand that a princess’ true worth did not rest on her crown or even the people’s love for her, but in the goodness and bravery of her own self.

In later years, Belle had been disappointed when her tutors taught about the true history behind the tale, but her mother’s lessons never faded.

Now, building a future despite the loss of memory was a welcome idea.

“Have you heard of it?” she asked again.

Rumpelstiltskin stopped the wheel and turned toward her, breaking into a high-pitched giggle. “That one was lost, all right! Her and her whole family, struck down at once, and their blood only a drop in the river that would follow. Helps you understand,” he added thoughtfully, “why people’d rather endure life under the Evil Queen than risk another revolution razing the land.”

Belle privately thought that Queen Regina couldn’t be a big threat to her subjects, when she wasted time plotting against the Dark One. Evil, yes; effective, not so much. Belle just hoped their future meetings would be as brief as the last one.

“There are accounts that say the princess survived,” she said, steering the conversation away from that awful woman. “That she forgot everything from before her family was seized, but still lived a long life, in a country far away.”

“And she lived happily ever after too!”

Belle pouted, stung. “Don’t mock me so,” she asked. “You can think it’s silly, but I like to believe it’s a true story.”

“Mocking, was I?” His eyes danced with laughter, and he gave a little careless shrug. “Never mind me, then.”

The wheel started spinning again.

The turns, however, came at the slower speed that she recognized as her cue to interrupt him. Even his studied indifference was familiar. Barely daring to believe, Belle got to her feet and strode across the room until she was standing before him. “Is it true, then?”

Rumpelstiltskin raised his head just enough to wink at her.

Emotion made her hands clasp together. “But the history books say-”

“Your first lesson, my dear, should have been that history is written by the winners.” He pointed a finger upwards, in that way he had to underscore an important tidbit. “What kind of grand revolution would it have been, hm, if everyone knew a little girl slipped through their fingers?”

“But everyone I asked said…”

“Ah!” The finger flew to poke against her nose, making Belle aware of how close she was leaning. It was difficult to remember that their relationship had reset to their original boundaries, but since Rumpelstiltskin didn’t shoo her or dart away, she didn’t back down. “So was everyone you asked a witness to the events?” he asked, making no comment on the renewed closeness. “Your great-great-grandparents, perhaps?”

As ever, his casual reference to events far in the past was a revelation.

“You….”

“Didn’t see everything, of course. But the court’s magician needed a spell or two, and he was happy to share what he knew.”

Belle couldn’t help her frown. “You worked with Rasputin? How could you!”

His eyebrows shot up, and too late she remembered that maids didn’t upbraid their masters, much less on subjects more than a century old; but she hadn’t won his friendship the first time around by hiding her thoughts, so she stuck to her opinion.

“He  _did_  start the war.”

Rumpelstiltskin poked her nose again. “Let me guess. More books?”

Belle had to blink at the idea that her books would betray her twice in less than five minutes. The first time, she had been glad for it, as she’d always cheered for the lost princess. Now, however, she just felt unsettled.

Never had she thought to shift Rasputin from his spot as the main villain in that story.

“Really?” she managed.

“What did I just say? The winners told their story as they saw fit, as they always have done. They were the heroes, come to make the best of what a single evil soul had started. Could hardly be blamed for any bloody repercussions, could they, when they were only fixing the misdeeds of a wicked wizard?” His mouth twisted into a bitter smirk. “Never trust those who hail themselves as heroes, dearie. You’re in better hands at the bottom of a snake pit.”

A protest came to her lips, but the lies she had been told her whole life squashed it. “He was innocent?”

Rumpelstiltskin snorted. “Hardly! But his crimes were greedy in nature and self-serving. He was as interested in toppling down his master’s reign as in turning the sky pink. Never seen a man more desperate to get rid of an unwanted ward, too. And she was such a clever little poppet!”

“The princess…”

“Not after they left, not anymore. You don’t think people just up and forget their whole lives, do you?” At her look, he chuckled. “Right. You’re quite the expert on the subject, you say.”

“You gave her a memory potion.”

“In exchange for a few ingredients even I am too squeamish to procure. Not my best deal, but I did pity the little thing. No future at all for her, if she remembered the truth.”

“She might have fought!”

“And lost,” he affirmed. “Or do you think I’d pass up a chance for an empress to owe me a favor?”

Belle pressed her lips together, and finally stepped back. “But she had a happy life, right?”

His smile was indulgent. “True love, long life, and a big family around her at the end. Doesn’t get happier than that, I’ve heard.”

All that, without her memories. “No, I guess not,” Belle said, her voice softer.

Rumpelstiltskin peered at her. “Why did you ask, anyway?”

She could hardly admit the path her thoughts had taken, to end with that particular tale in mind. “It was one of my mother’s favorite stories,” she said honestly. “I miss it from my collection.”

Rumpelstiltskin flattened his mouth. “Part of that library I built, I suppose,” he said archly.

“You brought a copy a few months later, yes.”

“A pack of lies, hardly worth the paper it was printed on,” he grumbled. “I can’t see why I’d bother getting it.”

Belle smiled, remembering the book she’d found tossed on top of the laundry. It has been her mother’s birthday. “I have no idea,” she told him somewhat truthfully, since by then she had known not to confront him about his gestures of friendship unless she wanted to ruin the moment with emphatic denials of good intentions. “I appreciated the addition, anyway.”

Even that much prompted Rumpelstiltskin to furrow his nose as if she’d pulled a vile-smelling dish from the oven. “I have no idea what you’re on, girl,” he muttered.

Belle barely resisted the notion to reach out and squeeze his shoulder. “That’s fine,” she told him. “I’ll remember for the two of us.”

  
The End  
11/01/18


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @nropay asked OUAT + birthday.

“It’s my boy’s birthday today,” said Rumpelstiltskin, eyes cast down as he wrapped his hands around the mug Belle had just filled with hot coffee.

Belle let out a soft sigh of relief, glad that he would share the significance of the date this time. She had known that it related to Baelfire, as in the castle Rumpelstiltskin would have lit a remembrance candle and spent the day with grieved eyes. She’d hoped father and son would be reunited before the date rolled around, but they’d had no luck. “It will be the last he spends without you,” she told him anyway, setting down the carafe so she could wrap her arms around him from behind.

He scoffed, though at least he didn’t shake off her embrace. His shoulders slumped, a defeated man in place of the sorcerer who’d finally broken through to the land without magic. “We’re in the wrong world, Belle.”

“It’s only been a few weeks…”

“The trail is old, Belle. And it leads nowhere anyway.” He leaned back, closing his eyes when Belle kissed his forehead in an attempt of comfort. “I’ve lost him again, and this time I don’t have a clue where to go looking.”


	4. "hurt"

Belle had been ready to gaze at the new realm in wonder, but the sight of a forest not unlike the one they’d left behind was underwhelming. “Are you sure-?”

A sharp cry of pain made her abandon the question, turning to her master instead. “Oh!” He had told her his story. She had known that he was as human as she, without the Dark One’s curse. She had known that he’d suffered a terrible injury- “Oh!”

She scrambled for the cane among her half of the bags, a weight to which she hadn’t objected, but which she’d never considered would come in use. The other bags - the ones Rumpelstiltskin had carried - were strewn on the ground, tossed without care as he bit his lip in the effort to remain upright.

“Here!”

His left hand caught the body of the cane, and he took a few deep breaths as he steadied it under him. His face was still pale - or was that the color of his human skin? - but he gave a few steps, grimacing at the uneven ground beneath his feet. “I’d forgotten how it hurt,” he mused, hands curling and uncurling around the golden handle, learning its shape. There was a deep, bitter sound that sounded eerily like his little laughs at someone else’s expense. “I didn’t miss it.”

Belle stared, taking in his changed appearance. The brown, wide eyes; the blunt, even nails; the sun-touched skin, darker than hers now that color was returning to it.

Nothing made her more aware of his lack of magic than the pain on his face.

“Still like what you see, dearie?”

The nasty edge of his voice kept her from a truthful nod.

“Your hair. Why would it change?”

He frowned, raising his free hand to touch the ends of a strand of hair that now fell straight to brush his shoulder. “Ah, yes.” He chuckled. “I forgot that too.”

Belle approached him with slow steps, aware that he kept track of her despite his seeming disinterest. Waiting, waiting. Always waiting for her to run away, absolutely expecting it now that he wouldn’t be able to give chase.

He had used her to get hold of the last of the giants’ beans.

Her payment, he had calculated, would be her freedom in this land where she could start without the stain of having belonged to the Dark One.

Careful not to impair his balance, Belle hooked her arm through his. “We really are here, Rumple,” she said. “The world without magic.” The words were silly, unnecessary under the evidence, but still wondrous to say out loud after so many months searching for a safe passage. Rumpelstiltskin had labored for centuries to this same end, misled for so long, but he showed no joy or relief.

Just that purposeful flame in his eyes.

Belle took a deep breath, armoring herself for the task ahead.

They had even less direction than before, and little help except for the few vials and spells that might yet prove useless in this world.

But if Rumpelstiltskin could renounce the Dark One’s power, and he could take on an old injury that hobbled him, then Belle could at least stay at his side while he searched for his son.

“We’ll find him.”

To her surprise, he didn’t comment on her groundless optimism. A simple nod, and a voice several degrees graver than the pitch she was used to. “Yes. I’ll see my boy again.”

 

The End  
25/12/18


	5. Good News.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> @nropay asked ‘trade’.

It was a quiet evening in the Dark Castle, perfect to retreat to their room and read by the fire. Rumpelstiltskin alternatively grumbled and chuckled as he read over Baelfire’s latest letter, muttering under his breath about informing a certain former shepherd how royal wards should be kept from danger.

Recumbent against his side, Belle patted her husband’s thigh whenever his temper slipped into curses, and she whispered about Bae’s good sense and how he sounded more excited with every adventure he managed to trip into whenever David and Snow left him to his own devices.

Every time, Rumpelstiltskin took a deep breath and apologized for distracting her from her book.

Belle shrugged. Usually she would feel a sliver of annoyance at being dragged from her fictional world, especially as the book was as thick as her fist and promised several hours of entertainment, but this time she didn’t resent the interruptions. “It’s the tale of Arthur, king of Camelot and apparently the greatest man in the whole realm,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I can’t tell whether Merlin sent it as a lark or as a warning not to contradict the official story.”

Rumpelstiltskin snorted, pulling his attention away from his letter for a moment. He inwardly scoffed at the notion of being warned, even by the Sorcerer, but knowing how much Belle appreciated Merlin’s help during their brief journey through Camelot, he silenced his opinion on the man.

His gift, though, was fair game.

“Whichever it is, feed the book to the fire,” he suggested. “You do have a whole library to choose from, my love.”

“Burn it!” Belle gasped in mock outrage, hugging the book close. However, after a heartbeat, she groaned and sighed. “I  _am_ tempted,” she admitted.

Rumpelstiltskin laughed, but knew better than to press the matter. “Well, there’s an easy solution,” he said, twisting to pluck the book from her grasp and offering Baelfire’s letter before she thought to complain. “Trade me?”

Belle blinked, accepting the loose pages even as she stared at him in wonder. Rumpelstiltskin often shared his son’s stories by reading them out loud before they went to bed. He never parted with such missives before reading them at least a dozen times by himself, unable to let go of even that small proof that Baelfire was not lost anymore, and that the boy was willing to keep in touch.

“Rumple?” she asked softly, a little at a loss in the sudden change of routine.

His mouth curved into a content smile. “The next part he writes to you, Belle.”

From the look on his face, Belle knew it was good news. Seconds later she was grinning as well. “He’s coming to visit!” she said, pulling herself closer to her husband. Arthur’s heavily edited biography was forgotten in her surprise. It had been months since she’d last seen the boy, and more than a year since Baelfire had left the castle, swearing never to step inside again.

Like his father, he was given to grand pronouncements and too stubborn to take them back.

And like his father as well, family was too important to allow pride to get in the way.

Belle passed the letter back to Rumpelstiltskin before the ink could be blotted by a stray tear. “I’m happy,” she assured him, squeezing his free hand. “He says to send word in whatever way is quickest, so he starts the journey.”

“Bah! He can’t mean to waste time on horseback.” Rumpelstiltskin made a face. “I’ll have him here in an instant—”

“No, Rumple.” She pulled his hand onto her lap, or what little remained of it, and hoped he would listen to her. “Bae’s letting us summon him by magic, but I don’t think he’s yet ready for more. The two of you have come so far… I know you can rein in your power if it means he’s comfortable.” By now he was looking away from her, so Belle reached out to touch his chin, nudging him softly. “Rumple, your son loves you. He wouldn’t have come back to the Enchanted Forest if he didn’t.”

Rumpelstiltskin leaned into her touch, and she felt the small sigh before he nodded. “He’s coming home,” he said, and Belle knew it was more a reminder to himself than part of their conversation. She scooted as close to her husband as she could, unsurprised when after a few moments Rumpelstiltskin loosened his hand from hers so his arm was free to come around her shoulders. A brief burst of magic had Baelfire’s letter lovingly folded and placed on a nearby table, and then Rumpelstiltskin turned to her, a hand at her belly and a renewed smile hovering on his lips. “Thank you, Belle.”

“I did nothing.”

He laughed softly. “I doubt Bae would be willing to come if there wasn’t a little sister to meet, my dear.”

“Little brother,” Belle corrected him.

Rumpelstiltskin shrugged, truly unconcerned with that detail. “My point stands.”

Belle stroked his cheek. “You’re a good man, Rumple. Bae would have seen that anyway.”

His eyes said that he doubted her, but he didn’t voice the thought. Instead he leaned closer until his forehead rested against hers, a prelude to a kiss. “Thank you all the same.”

Neither thought of Belle’s book until a movement dislodged it from its perch at the edge of the couch and it came thumping against the floor.

There was a moment of silence, and then both were chuckling at the unexpected break of their tender moment.

Belle moved first to rescue the book, but Rumpelstiltskin beat her to it. Not a particular achievement given her awkward mobility in the last weeks. “You sure it doesn’t belong with the logs, sweetheart?” Rumpelstiltskin asked, book hanging between thumb and forefinger, only half-joking.

Belle gave him an exasperated look, and shook her head for good measure.

“Pity,” he said, but with a click of his fingers sent the thick tome to her reading nook in the library. Then he returned to his position at his side, grinning at her before kissing her nose playfully. “Now, where were we?”

 

The End


End file.
